A 16-year-old girl has sustained life-threatening injuries in an Orange County car accident after she was hit by a minivan while crossing the street. The Orange County Register reports that the teen was walking in a marked crosswalk the afternoon of December 7, 2009, near the intersection of Newhope and Camille streets, when a 78-year-old man driving a Dodge minivan south on Newhope, hit her. The girl was dragged by the car for a short distance. She was taken to an area hospital with critical injuries. Police are still investigating and the driver has not yet been charged or cited. If you saw this accident, please call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8201.
Orange County Pedestrian Accidents
My heart goes out to this girl, who is now fighting for her life. I wish her the very best for a complete recovery although based on this report, it seems as if that might be a long and tough road. Please keep this injured victim and her family in your prayers.
In Santa Ana, nine people died and 127 were injured as a result of pedestrian accident cases in 2007, according to California Highway Patrol's traffic accident statistics. In Orange County, 41 fatalities and 726 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007. Countywide, car accidents claimed 178 lives and injured 14,185 people during the same year.
California Laws and Liability Issues
Based on this newspaper report, it seems that the teenager was crossing exactly where she was supposed to have been crossing. But, apparently, the elderly driver of the minivan did not see her. He failed to yield right-of-way to the pedestrian who was walking in a marked crosswalk. There are many questions here. Was the elderly driver impaired or distracted in some way? Was he speeding or otherwise negligent?
If the driver's negligence caused this car accident, he could certainly be held liable for the girl's critical injuries. If there was a dangerous condition on this roadway, which caused or contributed to this accident, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway could also be held liable. Any such claim against a governmental agency in California must be filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. An experienced Orange County catastrophic injury lawyer will be able to help this victim and her family receive fair compensation for their injuries, damages and loss.
We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.
